Painting Restoration and Conservation
Painting Restoration and Conservation Services
Taking care of paintings is delicate and complex. As paintings age, the appearance of the image changes not only because of accumulated dirt, but also because aging itself can alter the materials that make up the image. Methods for removing dirt and other obscuring material require great skill because any changes to the painting surface may bring about irreversible and damaging results, permanently affecting the aesthetic and monetary value of the work.
We offer a full range of services in the conservation and restoration of paintings. We start with a full analysis of the exact condition of the picture insofar as it can be ascertained by visual means. When required, we can employ specific scientific tests such as ultraviolet and infrared photography, radiography, computer aided image processing and many other techniques. After analysis, we plan the project in detail and make our recommendations. Often there are several avenues of action and the client is made aware of his options and the expected results.
Paintings on Canvas Restoration
- Cleaning - surface
- Cleaning - removal of varnish
- Relining
- Consolidation of loose areas
- Conservation of support
- Transfer of the painted surface to a new support
- Removal of undesirable previous retouching
- Retouching and/or reconstruction of missing areas with scientifically matched pigments
- Repair or replacement of damaged or unusable stretchers
- Possible framing or Restoration and Gilding of original frames
Paintings on Panel Restoration
- Cleaning - surface
- Cleaning - removal of varnish.
- Impregnation of panel for reinforcement
- Fumigation if panel is infested
- Parquetting of panel for support
- Consolidation of loose areas
- Conservation of support
- Transfer of the painted surface to a new support
- Removal of undesirable previous retouching
- Retouching and/or reconstruction of missing areas with scientifically matched pigments
- Repair or replacement of damaged or unusable strapping
- Possible framing or Restoration and Gilding of original frames
Wood-panel Paintings Restoration
Wood-panel paintings undergo much swelling and shrinking with humidity variations. Wood-boring insects and the dry rot of fungus also attack them. The painting may be transferred to a new support, or the old one may be strengthened by impregnation with a consolidating medium (including several plastics) or given auxiliary support. Insecticides and fungicides may suffice to combat woodworms and dry rot; in cases of advanced destruction, reinforcement by impregnation may be necessary.
Canvas Supports Restoration
Larger tears in canvas paintings will require lining - an addition of a second canvas to the reverse using a proper lining adhesive. Beva 371 has been developed by Gustav Berger to replace the traditional lining adhesives (beeswax/resin, starch paste or animal glues) used in the past. Most of these natural glues and resin mixtures will darken over time (and some darken dramatically) changing the entire tone of the picture. Beva 371 is a modern combination of wax (a paraffin) with an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer resin that is strong, reversible, non-yellowing and non-staining. Beva 371 was originally invented by Mr. Berger in the late 1960's as a way of lining bright, colorful modern paintings without darkening and changing them.
Canvas supports also absorb and lose moisture, swell and shrink, and thereby lose much pigment. In addition, canvases may be weakened or torn with comparative ease. A method of relining (re-stretching on a second under-canvas) may be affected whereby the old canvas is attached to the new by means of an adhesive. This may be a thermoplastic wax-resin combination or water-base glue. The painted surface becomes impregnated with the adhesive and is consequently stabilized.
Watercolors Restoration
The work may sometimes be sterilized and remounted on a support chosen for its mold-repellent quality. It may be further treated with a fungicide. Some foxing stains may be removed by careful bleaching and washing, but this is a difficult technique requiring considerable knowledge of materials and experience.
Cleaning - Removal of Varnish.
There are many types of varnish from natural resin to modern acrylic. Along with providing a layer of protection against atmospheric dirt and grime, varnish saturates the colors, enhancing the subtle nuances of the painting. This is especially so in darker paintings. Modern varnishes have the characteristics of being non-yellowing and easily removable in mild solvents. Some varnishes even have ultra violet light inhibitors. Varnish can be adjusted to be glossy, matte, or anywhere in between in order to suit any painting. Some paintings were never intended to be varnished. Unvarnished paintings can be vulnerable to damage from dirt and need to be regularly inspected for trouble.
Discolored varnish can be removed during the cleaning of the painting surface. Cleaning is an irreversible treatment and one of the most demanding areas of painting conservation. Cleaning requires the skills of paintings conservators who have years of formal training and practical experience. Permanent damage may easily result from even the most cautious attempts to clean a painting by an untrained person. Cleaning and varnish removal are skills that require a thorough understanding of art, art history, chemistry, and materials science. It demands an understanding of the materials included in each layer of a painting's structure. Improper cleaning can cause a painting to lose its aesthetic and monetary value.
Restoration Cost Estimate
No matter how severe the damage, our professional conservators can properly restore old, badly deteriorated, worn or even
ripped canvas. We will carefully examine your painting and provide a complete evaluation of its condition, including a cost
estimate for restoration, before any work is done.
All estimates are based on time and material, not on the value of the painting.